The Good and Beautiful God: Falling in Love with the God Jesus Knows (The Apprentice Series) Review

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(More customer reviews)I was very interested in reading this book after hearing James Bryan Smith speak at the Divine Conspiracy Conference. Upon reading the first few pages, I learned that his mentors were none other than Richard Foster and Dallas Willard! I was even more interested and fortunately I was not disappointed.
If you are familiar with Dallas Willard and Richard Foster, this book has similar imprints of these writing, but Smith has his own distinct style.
His style of writing draws you in, entices you to let down defenses, and shares his life experiences with you.
The book is laden with stories about his life and others. How real people are being conformed to the image of God. He talks about trust, by comparing the trust his son has in him. He affirms the Goodness of God even while talking about how he suffered through the loss of his daughter. The book is good, not only because it content, but because it is utterly realistic.
The book has 229 pgs, which consists of 9 Chapters. Each chapter has an addition with a spiritual discipline that should be practiced that week. Furthermore the book has questions associated with each chapter at the back.Which is very useful seeing that one of the purposes of the book is to be used in a group!
How is the content of the book? Here is an excerpt below:
"God loves us so much that he longs for us to be pure and works tirelessly to make us pure. MacDonald points out how God is against sin and thus for humans: 'He is always against sin; in so far as, and while, they and sin are one, he is against them-- against their desires, their aims, their fears, and their hopes; and thus he is altogether for them.'
God is against my sin because he is for me. And if I am for sin, God stands against those desires, MacDonald is saying, because they cause my destruction. I would not have it any other way. To be sure, I am prone to excusing my sin or rationalizing my weaknesses, but God is not in that business. Though we are now reconciled through Christ, God is not indifferent to my sin. It hurts me, and therefore it hurts God--because God loves me."
There are many other ah ha moments, which gives you a new perspective on certain things such as the will, or your identity in Christ, or even the nature of God. To Smith's credit, the book was never dull or boring. At the end the book just left me longing for the next book in the series: The Good and Beautiful Life.
I recommend this book and I think it would work well with other excellent books on spiritual formation such as renovation of the heart, longing for God, the spirit of the disciplines or even celebration of discipline. Buy the book and like me, you will be awaiting the next book of the series!
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Table of Contents
Introduction
How to Get the Most Out of This Book
1. What Are You Seeking?
Soul Training: Sleep
2. God is Good
Soul Training:Silence and Awareness of Creation
3. God is Trustworthy
Soul Training: Counting Your Blessings
4. God is Generous
Soul Training: Praying Psalm 23
5. God is Love
Soul Training: Lectio Divina
6. God is Holy
Soul Training: Margin
7. God is Self-Sacrificing
Soul Training; Reading the Gospel of John
8. God Transforms
Soul Training: Solitude
9. How to Make a Pickle
Soul Training: Slowing Down
Appendix: Small Group Discussion Guide
Notes
Acknowledgments
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Reviews & Endorsements
"The Apprentice Series is the best practice I have seen in Christian spiritual formation."
--Dallas Willard, author of The Divine Conspiracy
"I know from our long relationship that Jim Smith is a fine and trustworthy man, who authentically knows 'the good and beautiful God.' I can think of no higher compliment than this: I would happily trust the care of my soul to Jim and the good and beautiful God he commends to us."
--Todd Hunter, author of Christianity Beyond Belief and pastor of Holy Trinity Anglican Church, Costa Mesa
"This first book in The Apprentice Series, The Good and Beautiful God, is a treasure. Dr. Smith has thought long and hard about the process of human transformation into the likeness of Jesus. I urge you to buy this book immediately! Read it and apply it. Then live it out in the context of a loving community. You will not regret doing so."
--Richard J. Foster, author of Celebration of Discipline and coauthor of Longing for God
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ABCs of Healthy Grieving: A Companion for Everyday Coping Review

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(More customer reviews)
Author Harold Ivan Smith is an accomplished speaker, writer and counselor. If you've read his other books on grief and grieving (do a search right here on Amazon for several other very strong titles) you know that's he's right-on-target, wise, insightful and readable.
This book is organized into small sections. It's not intimidating; it isn't "too much" to deal with. Pick up a section at a time --- you'll be hooked by the quotes, the stories, and the author's gift with words.
Sensitive and timely, this is an excellent book for anyone who is mourning a loss. Buy it for yourself and your won't be disappointed.
Dr. David Frisbie
The Center for Marriage & Family Studies
Author of Moving Forward After Divorce: Practical Steps to * Healing Your Hurts * Finding Fresh Perspective * Managing Your New Life

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Nationally recognized grief educator Harold Ivan Smith brings over twenty-five years of professional experience in grief recovery to ABCs of Healthy Grieving. Seventy-two brief suggestions for healthy grieving, each two-pages in length and titled starting with a letter of the alphabet followed by an "I Can" statement, encourage those suffering the loss of a loved one to grow through grief spiritually and emotionally. One particular aspect of living with grief day-to-day is introduced with relevant quotes and short excerpts. Readers can read ABCs of Healthy Grieving cover to cover, or choose a single topic to help them through their day.

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Advent and Christmas Wisdom From G. K. Chesterton Review

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(More customer reviews)This contains many of the great writers wittiest and most profound observations on faith and the meaning of Christmas. Some of them are taken from his well known books, but there are also many taken from his lesser known writings. For the Chesterton fan, there may be a surprise or two; for others, this is an enjoyable introduction. It also contains bible readings and prayers for each day of advent, related to the Chesterton quote. But the best part is the activity for each day. They are practical, creative ideas for putting into practice the spiritual values of the readings for the day. The activities are appropriate for adults and school age children. Its a great way to make this advent a memorable one.

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As one of the few relatively recent Christian writers who are admired and quoted by Christians at all ends of the spectrum, G.K Chesterton was known as a remarkable and diverse but extremely influential English writer. His inexhaustible and wide ranging portfolio of works includes journalistic writing, poetry, biography, Christian, fantasy and detective genres. His style is distinctive and always marked by humility, consistency, irony, wit and wonder. Some of his most enduring books include The Everlasting Man, which led C.S. Lewis to become a Christian and The Napoleon of Notting Hill which inspired Michael Collins to lead a movement for Irish independence. G.K. Chesterton is sometimes referred to as the most unjustly neglected writer of our time. One reason might be his versatility and the inability for modern thinkers, theologians and commentators to pigeonhole him. We challenge you to enjoy his remarkable style, eloquence and faith-based writing at this joyous time of the year. In this edition of Advent and Christmas Wisdom, each day's reflection includes a selection from one of Chesterton's finest works, a suitable Scripture verse, an appropriate prayer, and an exercise. This addition to one of Liguori's best-selling series is truly a refreshing, prayerful preparation for the coming of Christ at Christmas.

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A Year with Aslan: Daily Reflections from The Chronicles of Narnia Review

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(More customer reviews)"A Year with Aslan" features 365 selections from the Narnian series, designed to be read as a daily devotional. Enclosed in beautiful hardback binding, each section contains quotes from Aslan or some story that exhibits Aslan's character. And in line with most devotionals, each section concludes with some reflection questions to help with meditation.
Aslan has long been one of my favorite literary characters. Lewis was able to do with Aslan what almost no other author in history was able to accomplish: create an alluring, fictional representative of Christ who generates both wonder and fear. "A Year with Aslan" wonderfully highlights these characteristics, drawing the reader close to Aslan and, therefore, closer to Jesus.
Before I opened the book, I wondered how the compilers could come up with 365 selections centered around Aslan; I didn't think Aslan was featured that many times in the Chronicles. Well, as it turns out, he wasn't.
Despite the book's title, a number of the selections don't feature Aslan at all, but instead highlight general stories from Lewis' series. This isn't necessarily a downside, just something to be aware of before purchasing a copy.
I recommend "A Year with Aslan" to Aslan-lovers who have already read through the original Chronicles, but would hold off for those who haven't already visited Narnia. Since some of the selections lack context, it would be helpful to understand the background for each character and story before reading.

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For more than fifty years, the world C. S. Lewis created in Narnia has captured our hearts and imaginations. Both children and adults have discovered that rereading the books leads to entirely new experiences and insights. In the midst of these breathtaking stories of adventure, betrayal, and discovery in a magical land are profound messages about the true meaning of life. Whether it is Eustace struggling with his dragon skin, Digory debating obedience to Aslan versus saving his mother, or Edmund facing his shame after his rescue from the White Witch, the questions and dilemmas facing the characters are surprisingly relevant to us today. By pondering the world of Narnia, we better understand our own.

In the first book of its kind, A Year with Aslan offers 365 of the most thought-provoking passages from all seven books, paired with reflective questions that get at the heart of what matters most. An unprecedented way to experience the magic of Narnia every day of the year, A Year with Aslan allows us all to go "Further up and further in!”

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Letters to Malcolm: Chiefly on Prayer Review

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(More customer reviews)This is one of those books where I found myself taking an hour to read a paragraph, which I had previously read. I just needed to ruminate on Lewis' thoughts. It's not theological in the sense of Mere Christianity or The Four Loves- he is clear here and elsewhere that he does not want to write a devotional book and indeed thinks he has little to offer on the subject, as he is untrained in these areas. So while he covers the same areas as Richard Foster's Prayer, this book has a decidedly different feel. It is personal, as if it were a collection of real letters.
And thus these are just letters. Often Lewis doesn't fully explain his ideas in an understandable way, to make it appear as if he is not writing to the general public, but only to Malcolm- a friend with whom he has a lot in common, with that secret language that all friends have. I appreciated too how personal asides were imagined, like "Your son is very welcome. We do *not* dress for dinner normally." and "Please tell Betty I do not need a bed downstairs, I am feeling much better." and, contrary to what Walter Hooper would have us believe, references to his conjugal life with his former wife.

Lewis' musings have the advantage of coming at the end of his life, with the full wisdom available. I especially liked his thoughts on getting whatever we ask for in faith vs. Jesus prayer in Gethsemane, difficulties in prayer focus, and the effectatiousness of our prayers. In the end, we want to be heard, even more than having our prayers answered. Lewis is simultaneously so deep and so clear. As he said, he wrote for the common man. So as I read him, I find myself constantly thinking, "Yes, I didn't believe that before, but I see that now."

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In the form of warm, relaxed letters to a close friend, Lewis meditates on many puzzling questions concerning the intimate dialogue between man and God. Lewis also considers practical and metaphysical aspects of private prayer, petitionary prayer, the Lord's Prayer, and other forms of prayer. "A beautifully executed and deeply moving book" (Saturday Review).

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Meditations from the Mat: Daily Reflections on the Path of Yoga Review

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(More customer reviews)Mediations from the Mat is a one-a-day vitamin for the yogic soul. There are 365 essays here designed to nourish you on your journey off and on the mat.
If you practice yoga, you will appreciate this book. If you like thought-provoking quotes, you'll find them here. If you're on a path toward spiritual and emotional well being, this book is for you.
Grasping Patanjali's 8-limb path is a daunting task. Gates, along with gifted writer/editor Katrina Kenison, simplifies these lessons by presenting them through examples of his own life experiences and discoveries.
What I like best about this book is that it's simple and it's Real. Anybody can relate to these stories of suffering, joy, tragedy, and love, regardless of whether they practice yoga. So with each daily reading, we begin to realize that yoga is not some esoteric, mountain-top guru thing, but a means of meeting ourselves and learning our truth -- simply by showing up on our mats and in our lives.
Gates doesn't claim to have answers. He gives us what he has to give: the lessons he has learned through the erratic, grace-filled ride he's had so far. As the essays gradually build on one another, we begin to understand that amid our suffering, fear, and doubt, we can "experience a visceral sense of belonging in a universe held together by love."
If you take in one of these essays each day, you will nourish your soul. No doubt about it. I'm only on Day 31 and I feel the difference already!

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A Year with C. S. Lewis: Daily Readings from His Classic Works Review

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(More customer reviews)A C. S. Lewis devotee knows that Lewis died the same day as President Kennedy. Though it's not mentioned in the jacket copy --- and the book includes no introduction --- that forty-year commemoration might have been the catalyst for this new compilation of 366 daily readings drawn from what the publisher calls his (capital-letter) Signature Classics: MERE CHRISTIANITY, THE SCREWTAPE LETTERS, THE GREAT DIVORCE, THE PROBLEM OF PAIN, MIRACLES and A GRIEF OBSERVED, plus (apparently perceived in some other category) THE WEIGHT OF GLORY and THE ABOLITION OF MAN.
Drawing on this bank, this book provides food for thought more than for devotion. Readers looking for a devotional aid will need to make a conscious leap to apply the material to a personal line of prayer. And yet the presented theological, philosophical and sociological points, all focused by Lewis's Christian worldview, do serve to draw the reader to a keener awareness of God's presence, character and role; his being, creations and relationships.
The one-page selections have been deftly arranged by Patricia Klein, who in times past edited the annual Cahill calendars featuring quotable lines from Lewis and his Inkling cohorts. She has given each reading a clear but not clever title that orients readers going into a selection and grounds them coming out: "Love the Sinner . . .", "The Real Test", "Nice Is Not Enough", and "How Marriage Reconciles."
Her selections are well organized. Each stands on its own, but many, usually from one source, for four or five days at a time thematically build on one another. We spend a week in March, for example, noting the pitfalls of pride (from MERE CHRISTIANITY) before being introduced to "Humility 101" (from THE SCREWTAPE LETTERS).
Although the first SCREWTAPE entry (January 13) includes a paragraph that explains the first-person, demonist voice of this novel, an unwary reader unfamiliar with that book's tongue-in-cheek style can be confused later on. Trying to head off said confusion, Klein has added an italicized tag onto each SCREWTAPE reading (i.e., "Screwtape reveals a powerful tool for distraction").
I personally connected most with Lewis, the man, in his readings from A GRIEF OBSERVED, in which he mourns the death of his wife. But I also connected with Lewis's God in selections from MERE CHRISTIANITY and THE WEIGHT OF GLORY.
The volume is nicely packaged: a ribbon bound into the spine to mark your place, a table of contents on a part-title page at the beginning of each month, three book-end indices. When I turned a page, I first glanced to the bottom, anticipating an occasional date-specific Lewis-biographical event: a book publication, an academic achievement, a family birth or death --- November 22, 1963, "Lewis dies at 5:30 P.M. at The Kilns, one week short of his sixty-fifth birthday. . . "
Most readings are three, four, five times longer than the one I cite below (September 27), which is the shortest in the book. As compiled in A YEAR WITH . . . Lewis only occasionally quotes Scripture and never more aptly than here, speaking of the apostle Peter's seaside conversation with Jesus: "There are questions at issue between Christians to which I do not think we have been told the answer. There are some to which I may never know the answer: if I asked them, even in a better world, I might (for all I know) be answered as a far greater questioner was answered: 'What is that to thee? Follow thou Me.' "
--- Reviewed by Evelyn Bence

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Hearing from God Each Morning: 365 Daily Devotions (Faith Words) Review

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(More customer reviews)Relationships. They aren't easy and good ones don't just happen. If you want a good, strong relationship with someone, you have to work at it. You have to make a commitment. The more we invest in a relationship with another who cares for us, the better it will be. And the same goes with God. If we truly want a good, strong relationship where we can solely rely on God, we must make a commitment and work at it.
Joyce Meyer's Hearing from God Each Morning--365 Daily Devotions can help you strengthen your relationship with God through her daily meditations. This guide serves as a reminder to what is really important and to be able to recognize God's voice through all the noise of the world.
The readings are short and begin with a biblical quote followed by a short essay by Joyce. It ends with God's Word for You Today. I found these daily readings to be insightful and powerful. They applied to everyday life and reminded me where my focus needed to be at. Joyce writes in a down-to-earth clear cut manner, and really drives her point home. The readings are inspirational and positive. They really encourage you to grasp God's message and do His works.
I have many daily devotionals and usually find I read a few pages and the book gets pushed by the wayside. This one, however, will not. I was eager to read the next pages and will continue to reread this book. This devotional made me think more about my relationship with God and listen more closely to his Word.
This is a great book for yourself and would also make a wonderful gift.
Note: I received a copy of this book from Hachette Book Group for review purposes. The opinions in this review are honest and my own.


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In the hustle and bustle of today's busy world, sometimes it's hard enough to hear yourself think, much less take a minute to stop and listen for the voice of God. But learning to recognize God's voice and the many ways in which He speaks is vital for following His plan. This devotional; drawing from How to Hear From God, Knowing God Intimately, and The Power OfSimple Prayer shows the reader through a daily reminder, how God speaks through their own thoughts and feelings, their dreams, and the words of other people. Joyce Meyer reveals the ways in which God delivers His word and the benefits of asking God for the sensitivity to hear His voice. Joyce asks the question, "Are you listening?" and shares how to do just that...on a daily basis. Download the free Joyce Meyer author app.

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